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J. Cell Biol.,
Volume 140, Number 5, March 9, 1998 1167-1176
Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Toxicology, University of
Massachusetts Medical Center, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts 01545
Dendrites play important roles in neuronal
function. However, the cellular mechanism for the
growth and maintenance of dendritic arborization is
unclear. Neurofilaments (NFs), a major component of
the neuronal cytoskeleton, are composed of three
polypeptide subunits, NF-H, NF-M, and NF-L, and are
abundant in large dendritic trees. By overexpressing
each of the three NF subunits in transgenic mice, we altered subunit composition and found that increasing NF-H and/or NF-M inhibited dendritic arborization,
whereas increasing NF-L alleviated this inhibition. Examination of cytoskeletal organization revealed that increasing NF-H and/or NF-M caused NF aggregation and dissociation of the NF network from the microtubule (MT) network. Increasing NF-H or NF-H together
with NF-M further reduced NFs from dendrites. However, these changes were reversed by elevating the level
of NF-L with either NF-H or NF-M. Thus, NF-L antagonizes NF-H and NF-M in organizing the NF network
and maintaining a lower ratio of NF-H and NF-M to
NF-L is critical for the growth of complex dendritic
trees in motor neurons.
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